


Down to their level

by Donrex



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Prince McCoy, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-12 03:40:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19939615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Donrex/pseuds/Donrex
Summary: Inspired by klmeri’s “A Quarter South”McCoy knows how to duel like a prince but that would hardly help him survive outside the palace. Jim and Spock help him get accommodated with a new fighting style.Literally 1485 words about sword fighting and being gay that’s it. That’s all.





	Down to their level

**Author's Note:**

  * For [klmeri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/klmeri/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A Quarter South](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1736273) by [klmeri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/klmeri/pseuds/klmeri). 



Leonard is holding a sword; it is completely unbalanced, and does not fit his size and weight, but Leonard knows better than complain. He is standing in the middle of the arena, his back to spock and his face to Jim. Jim is holding a sword half Leonard’s size, as does spock. When Leonard asks “won’t the fight be unfair?” Jim laughs. 

“Are you sure you want this?” Asks spock from behind him. 

Leonard scoffs. “I would rather die than keep letting you two fight to protect me. I am not a baby; I simply lack the correct training.” 

Spock does not answer. His sword is still untouched in its sheath at his side. 

“Alright, Prince McCoy, let’s see what you got,” smirks Jim at him, his sword pointing to Leonard.

Leonard makes the first move, slamming their swords together in grace. He feels Jim struggles in the direct content of the swords, and smiles briefly in a small personal victory, of showing Jim he isn’t as delicate as the man expected him to be. 

In the next moment, he finds himself on the floor, a sword to his throat. 

“You tripped me!” He accuses. 

Jim smiles, his sword unwavering. “Lesson number one: never assume a fight is honest.” 

Leonard scowls, but stays silent. He asked for this, for as much of a ridiculous fighting style this is, it is the one who shall help keeping him alive when time to fight arises. 

“Remove the sword at once,” warned Leonard instead. Jim obeyed, pulling the sword bearing arm away and offering the other, to help hoist Leonard to his feet again. 

Leonard ignores the arm offered to him and rises on his own, dusting his clothes slowly. He takes a deep breath and points his sword back at Jim. “Again,” he commended. 

It was not long until he found himself back at the ground. Jim removed his sword fast and lets Leonard get to his feet alone, his sword already hoisted for the next battle. 

Leonard cannot say he is not growing frustrated. Each time he begins to learn his opponent, Jim finds another trick to bring him down, if by legs, arms or his surroundings, Leonard finds himself on the dirty ground again and again. 

He is heaving as he rises to his feet again. 

“We can stop for today, if the prince so desires,” points out spock, who had just watched silently until now, his sword untouched. 

Leonard huffs, refusing to show any weakness, and points his sword back to Jim. 

If Jim begins to feel worry for Leonard as spock does, it doesn’t show. It is only when Leonard finds himself tripping on a rock and falling involuntary into the ground, completely unprovoked by Jim’s actions, when he accepts the truth of his exhaustion. He braces for a hit, but instead is greeted by something strong and stable holding him upright. 

Leonard back to spock’s steady chest, he drops his sword and sighs deeply. Spock makes no move to step away, even now that Leonard is balanced on his feet, nor does Leonard try stepping away. He lets himself lean completely on spock and closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose and murmuring to himself. 

“Bones?” Jim’s teasing voice comes from right in front of him. 

Leonard opens his eyes to find Jim standing so very close to his person, Leonard can examine his blue bright eyes sparkling at him. 

His eyes widen then close to slits. “What, Jim?” He asks, his displeasure by being defeated again and again taking its tool. 

Jim smirks and sheaths his sword, before sweeping a gentle hand over Leonard’s collarbone. “Simply collecting the prize for my triumph,” he says tad too happily, his hand climbing up to Leonard’s jawline. 

“I do not remember any agreement of the sorts,” roams Leonard, but with Jim so close, and spock at his back, he knows there is nowhere to run. He is trapped.

“Oh, bones, if not me then at least thank spock, he is your savior,” Jim smirks. 

Leonard considers kicking him in the shins, if not for spock’s unpredictable presence at his back. How would he react to such act? Leonard sighs in defeat. He couldn’t harm Jim right now, which only leaves one option: he must learn how to win a battle. 

~~~

They are all rested and fed before they return to training. Leonard had been murmuring attack moves to himself, watching Jim’s every movement cautiously, trying to gather a pattern. When Jim steps forward, his body leaning slightly left, Leonard finds himself quickly jumping away from Jim’s sword range. Jim appears impressed as Leonard avoids being tripped for a couple of times, and Leonard lets himself grow a false sense of victory. 

Jim says nothing as the blunt side of his sword lands against Leonard’s side and makes him lose his balance, but Leonard silently adds another lesson: if he’s ever to win against Jim, he must stay modest of his own abilities. 

Grabbing at his side in search for another bruise added to the many others, he glares at Jim, whom blinks innocently at him. 

“Why you-“ Leonard says, using the halt of his sword to finally, finally, land a hit on a surprised Jim. 

Jim is knocked back, breathless for a moment, before a smile possesses his lips. 

“Now you’re getting it!” He claims, even though they were clearly not fighting at the moment. 

Leonard huffs, than it dawns on him. This whole time, he’s been trying to stay honest against Jim’s tricks, defeating him fairly, but that wasn’t what they were there to do. Leonard is trying to learn how to defend himself, and the message is clear: he must lower himself to their level in order to get a fair chance. 

“Let’s go!” He orders, getting into a battle stance. Jim follows suit with a smile. 

He can see in Jim’s eyes something akin to pride as Leonard gets confidence in himself and starts landing more hits over Jim. Jim keeps winning- stubbornly and annoyingly so- but Leonard can no longer say he is as he was when he started.  
And a few days later? he is so close to winning, about to trip Jim over, when cold metal touches his throat. 

“Lesson number two: never assume a man fights alone!” 

It is needless to say that Leonard is furious. “Spock!-” He begins, but nothing else comes out. He already knows spock’s loyalty to Jim. “Jim!-” He turns instead. “You flee attracting tailless dog!-” He then devolves into angry muttering.

Spock’s sword leaves his neck and Leonard takes a step ahead, pointing his sword at Jim. “I wish I could say this is too low, but i know you can go lower,” he says, his eyes reduced to slits as he stares at Jim. 

Jim walks towards him, gleaming eyes and a charming smile. “Don’t be so mad, bones! Consider it a game!” 

“I’ll show you game!” Leonard howls, pushing at Jim’s shoulder bare handed. This must’ve taken Jim by surprise, for he completely ignores the fact that Leonard is unarmed and his defense is full of holes and let him kick him down to the floor. 

Both Leonard and Jim stay still for a moment, surprised, before Leonard smiles and points his sword at Jim’s throat. 

“Im starting to enjoy this!” He exclaims, keeping his sword in its place as he looks behind him to spock. To a stranger, spock seemed the same, but Leonard could see something flickering in his eyes. Worry for Jim? Pride for Leonard? Leonard goes to investigate, finally pulling his sword away and stepping back into spock’s personal space. 

“Yes, spock?” Leonard asks teasingly. 

Spock stays silent, transferring his gaze from Leonard to Jim, who is standing behind him, then, gently, puts his hand to Leonard’s neck, where his own sword was mare seconds ago. 

“You have made progress,” spock states, his hand sliding up to Leonard’s face. 

It is only when Jim’s hands join, grabbing both of his sides, when he remembers to ask “what are you doing,” in a chocked voice. 

“Call it encouragement,” murmurs Jim close to his ear. Spock seems to agree. 

Leonard huffs, a bit too breathlessly, if you ask him. “In broad day light? Here?” He asks, although he makes no moves to break free from either of them. Although that’s not at all what he should be saying. 

“It seems, Jim, that the prince is calming to accept our encouragement under more... intimate conditions,” notes spock, his voice sending involuntary pricks down Leonard’s spine. 

Jim nods, Leonard can feel it, and at once, they both pull away. 

He closes his eyes and rubs his temple. He was right all along. These two are going to kill him. He sighs and picks up his sword again. He’ll show them what it means messing with him like that.


End file.
